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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: JAZZ v SPURS

May 20, 2007

Jerry Sloan

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS: Game One

Q. Carlos couldn't get on track in the first half. Just talk about what they did to him?
JERRY SLOAN: They just played him. Got up and played him and did a terrific job. They are a terrific defensive team and you have to give them credit because we missed some shots and obviously after that, we lost total concentration in trying to defend them.
We were running all over the place, giving them layups. The layups killed us. That's what a great team does, they take advantage of mistakes and they are as good as anybody you play against in that situation.
We were down, what? They scored 54 points in the first half, and they could get any shot they wanted. And our guys really didn't lay it out there, you know. They know they are playing against a great team, but the first and foremost thing you've got to do is compete against them and I didn't think we competed as hard as we are capable of playing. They have a lot to do with that, obviously.
It is very frustrating, especially the first half. And finally fought back a little bit. We made mistakes. Didn't give you much of a chance to finish it.

Q. Jerry, did you feel in the first half and maybe two and half quarters that going off of what you were saying, a lot of the guys didn't really understand the intensity at this level?
JERRY SLOAN: At halftime I told them they got to learn to compete. I mean, we were shaking our heads at each other. If one guy made a mistake, you know, it was somebody else's fault. That's part of what a young team has to learn. We have to stay together, we have to fight together and bust your tail out there.
I didn't think we did that. We were looking for excuses. Well, you know, that's a definite reason why you don't have a chance to win when you play that way. It takes five people out there and they all have to play together. We have to play together and not make mistakes against this team if we are going to be able to try to win the next game.

Q. You talked before the game about the experience factor and how you can offset that by working hard. When you see what San Antonio has, basically the same core together for the two championships that they had won, how intimidating can that be?
JERRY SLOAN: If you are going to be intimidated, don't show up. That's the only thing -- at halftime I told our players, if you are intimidated and you don't want to go out there and compete, then stay in the locker room. That's the only thing I know to tell them. If you are to compete, try to put somebody out there that's going to . (Rafael Araujo) came in the game and competed a little bit and that's all you can do. I was disappointed with the way we all competed together to try to have a chance to win. I didn't like what I saw with the guys shaking their heads at each other.

Q. Carlos also had a bad first game of the playoffs and came back to shake it off. Do you expect --
JERRY SLOAN: That's what you learn to do. That's what you learn to do. If you want to be recognized in this league and be there every day, that's what it is all about. You have a bad game, you jump right back into it and go at it again. Nobody cares. You have to do it yourself.

Q. Coach, Andrei had a slow first half. Is that something he will have to fix that if you have a chance in the series?
JERRY SLOAN: We have to do a better job of passing the basketball and recognize who's open. A couple times Andrei was posted up and never got the ball. Couple times Boozer got posted up and never got the basketball. Give them credit for the pressure they put on you, but you still have to be ready to make the look and make the pass and finish the play. That's kind of how we always played.
If you don't do that, then you are playing for yourself and that's not a way to have a chance to win and grow and get better.
A lot of things can be determined in this situation as to who they really want to be now and in the future. I was impressed -- I have always been impressed by Tim Duncan. But they do a pass over his head and he took the responsibility for it.
And our players wanted to make the fault for somebody else, and that's what a team has to do. You have to -- each person has to take the responsibility to step up and play and not look for an excuse.

Q. Jerry, what did Deron Williams tell you in the second half and what do you look forward to in the next game?
JERRY SLOAN: That's what you are looking to see from players. Who will step up and put their hearts out there on the floor. We know who we are playing against, one of the great, great teams and you find out who you are. You don't find out anything about yourself if you don't compete.
They're smart. They're intelligent. And if we want to be a better team, we have to play smarter.

Q. Jerry, did it surprise you the way your guys interacted based on how close they've played together the last two weeks?
JERRY SLOAN: That again is experience. You know, I hate to keep talking and hopefully this the last time I mention it because we've played two series now and I don't want to hear any more about being young. You either grow up and become a better player, or you take the easy route out. We will see who we are and go from there. Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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